I create a “Connect 4” game in C and I wanna know if have something I could improve in my code. Check it out:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

#define COLUMNS 6
#define ROWS 7

int board[ROWS][COLUMNS];

void inicializeBoard();
int uptadeBoard(int, int);
void drawBoard();
bool checkWinner(int, int, int);


int main() {
  int player = 1, moveColumn, moveRow;

  inicializeBoard();
  drawBoard();

  while(1) {
    printf("nPlayer %d, make your choice: ", player);
    scanf("%d", &moveColumn);
    system("clear");
    if (moveColumn > 0 && moveColumn <= COLUMNS && board[0][moveColumn - 1] == 0) {
      moveColumn--;
      moveRow = uptadeBoard(player, moveColumn);
      drawBoard();
      if (checkWinner(player, moveRow, moveColumn)) {
        printf("nPlayer %d wins!", player);
        break;
      }
      player = (player == 1) ? 2 : 1;
    } else {
      drawBoard();
      printf("nInvalid choice. Try again.");
    }
  }
  return 0;
}

void inicializeBoard(){
  for (int r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) {
    for (int c = 0; c < COLUMNS; c++) {
      board[r][c] = 0; 
    }
  }
}

int uptadeBoard(int player, int moveColumn) {
int r;
  for (r = 0; r < ROWS - 1; r++) {
    if (board[r + 1][moveColumn] != 0){
      break;
    }
  }
  board[r][moveColumn] = player;
  return r;
}

void drawBoard() {
  for(int r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) { 
    printf("[ ");
    for(int c = 0; c < COLUMNS; c++){
      printf("%d. ", board[r][c]);
    }
    printf("]n");
  }
}

bool checkWinner(int player, int moveRow, int moveColumn) {
  int sequence = 0, c, r; 
  for (c = 0; c < COLUMNS; c++) { //Horizontally check
    if (board[moveRow][c] == player) {
      sequence++;
    } else {
      sequence = 0;
    }

    if (sequence == 4) {
      return true;
    }
  }

  sequence = 0;

  for (r = 0; r < ROWS; r++) { //Vertically check
    if (board[r][moveColumn] == player) {
      sequence++;
    } else {
      sequence = 0;
    }

    if (sequence == 4) {
      return true;
    }
  }

  sequence = 0;
  r = moveRow;
  c = moveColumn;

  while (r < ROWS || c > 0) {
    r++;
    c--;
  }
  while(c < COLUMNS || r > 0) {
    if(board[r][c] == player) {
      sequence++;
    } else {
      sequence = 0;
    }

    if(sequence == 4){
      return true;
    }
    r--;
    c++;
  }

  sequence = 0;
  r = moveRow;
  c = moveColumn;

  while (r > 0 || c > 0) {
    r--;
    c--;
  }
  while(c < COLUMNS || r < ROWS) { //Diagonally check
    if(board[r][c] == player) {
      sequence++;
    } else {
      sequence = 0;
    }

    if(sequence == 4) {
      return true;
    }
    r++;
    c++;
  }

  return false;
}

One thing I don’t know if it’s ok is for me to create a global variable for the board, some people use parameters to not do this. I also create variables inside the loop, I would like to know if this is good or not. Last thing is that I didn’t program tie, so don’t worry about that. Thanks!